My Beautiful Thief
by NeverRegretMe
Summary: Kira was murdered on purpose, but lived on accident. Can this accident help save the life of her ruthless murderer? The Great Council decreed he must find love to live, but not only must he find love, but be loved.
1. Chapter 1

She walked through the meadow of wildflowers aware danger was nearing. She knew just as she had managed to survive with nothing, as would her younger sister, Cassie. The young girl slowly made her way away from the clearing onto the outskirts of the forest, knowing full and well they were coming and they were coming for her. Just as she had crossed the invisible boundary, she heard a stirring quickly followed by a laugh. The girl sat at the bottom of a large tree with her head in her hands waiting.

"Well, boys looks like someone lost their way." The leader of the three spoke first.

"I wouldn't say lost." Kira gestured her hands to acknowledge their presence and continued to rest her head in her hands.

The leader grabbed her by her neck and shoved her up against the tree, "Just to get the adrenaline pumping." His voice rang in her ears.

She breathed heavily from his unexpected act, but stayed quiet. He eyed her with suspicion and snarled his fangs in her face determined to get the heart of his little prey pumping uncontrollably. But to his surprise she stayed calm. He smirked and her heart surprisingly jumped. Even in a predicament such as this she couldn't say he wasn't a god. For a moment she actually felt sorry for him. Why would such a beautiful man choose this life instead of the better? She stared into the eyes of her murderer and deep in those beautiful pools of blue she saw pain.

His lips traced her neck, "How cute," He whispered, "The little girl thinks she's brave, but little does she know out in these parts there be monsters." His lips etched their way to her ear, "Are you sure you don't wanna scream?"

She gave him the best smirk she muster under the circumstances, "Let's make a deal. You do your part and I'll do mine."

The man laughed at her response and replied, "Deal."

A small gasp escaped Kira's lips as her body was consumed by fire. At first it was only her neck, but she soon felt another bite on her arm, and another on her wrist. Her breathing slowly faltered, and she was dropped. The pain seared through her veins until the poison had made it's way to her heart causing every beat to send a shearing throb to every part of her body. Something felt wrong or maybe this was normal; maybe this was in fact how she was supposed to die. Kira screamed in agony as she went into uncontrollable tremors. Death was finally creeping on her, begging her to close her eyes and she gladly obeyed.

But again she felt something was wrong. Even in death she was still on fire and she continued to shake violently. She shook for hours; she shook, she screamed, and she burned, until suddenly it stopped. She breathed raggedly sprawled across a cold floor. _**Cold.**_ Such a beautiful word. She opened her eyes as light flooded the room. Kira quickly shaded her face as the sun pierced her eyes. This definitely was not death. She suddenly heard footsteps and voices; they were nearing her room. As the door creaked open she sat up keeping what was left of her dignity.

It was the man from last night. "Good, you up. I thought I was gonna have to beat you up." He gave her a toothy grin as he threw her some clothes, "Take a shower, you look disgusting."

Offended she threw the clothes back at him, "Fuck off."

No sooner had she said the words, was she pinned up against the wall gasping for air, "This position looks quiet familiar now doesn't it?"

She grinned barely able to breath, "We did it once, I guess we could try it again." She bore her eyes into his, "Maybe you'll do it right this time."

He threw he across the room in irritation and gave the clothes to her again, "Take a shower. The bathroom's this way."

Kira smirked as she looked up to meet his eyes. She then slowly took the clothes in her hand and followed. The bathroom wasn't much, but she really did need a shower. For this reason she stayed in a little longer than necessary and washed her body until she was pink. Once out she took her small hand a wiped the steam off the mirror. She looked around the bathroom startled as she saw an unfamiliar girl starring back at her. She looked completely different, but different was better than dead. She shoved on the oversized shirt and shorts and quickly left the bathroom.

"Yea, once they saw what had happened, they bailed."

"Why didn't you finish her?"

"I couldn't. Something happened. I don't know, but instead of dying, she turned."

"What do you mean she turned?"

"I don't know, but I don't think she's a vampire."

"What do you mean?"

"The venom was pushing its way out her neck when I went to check on her. It was all over the floor. I think once it's fully out she'll be human again."

Both men looked her way as she walked into the kitchen. "Hey, pretty boy." She smirked in His direction.

The first guy spoke, "Hey, I'm Benjamin, and this is Michael." He pointed to the guy who bit her.

"Kira," She nodded with her smirk still clear as Michael glared her down. Although he wasn't her favorite person, she couldn't deny that he was beautiful man. She blew him a kiss tauntingly and he no sooner had her again pinned to the wall. "I'm going out to eat. Watch her for me, will you?" He spoke to Benjamin with his eyes never leaving Kira.

"Yea, sure." Benjamin nodded bewildered at what had just transpired. And moments later Michael disappeared.

"You're a pretty interesting character." He smiled

Kira opened her mouth to speak, but quickly shut it again as she felt painful conversions in her stomach. Her knees quickly met the floor and before she could object her body was up and on the move. She only saw flashes as she sped through the streets. She wasn't sure what she was looking for, but her body continued until she stopped.

She looked around in confusion as she was met be none other than Michael himself. He was in front of her in seconds, curiosity etching his face. Kira backed away unsure as to why her feet had led her to him and he followed suit. Her back quickly met brick and she gasped as she noticed how close he had come.

"What do you want?" He asked as his eyes never left hers.

She looked away blushing; she couldn't breathe. She tried her hardest to think of a witty remark, but nothing came and for that she blushed harder. She finally met his eyes; she could fall asleep in those eyes and be fine if she never awoke again.

The connection was quickly lost as she felt the conversions yet again distorting every movement she made. She gasped out of breath as she fell to the ground. A sweet smell filled the air and her body submissively followed. It was the smell of a woman. As Kira neared the woman finally turned as she realized another person was near her. Kira gave the woman a menacing smile and the woman slowly backed away.

"What you want? If you know what's good, you betta be backin' up fa my man come out here and see yo' psycho ass." The woman put on a good front, but the confidence never reached her eyes.

Kira ignored her attempts and disappeared before the woman. She jumped shaken as she felt Kira's breath on her neck, but before she could scream, her neck was quickly snapped and the woman's body fell limply into Kira's hands. With hunger getting the best of her, she indulged and didn't stop until there was nothing left to continue.

Kira gently laid the woman's body on the ground and starred into her shock stricken eyes. She scooted as far away as she could until she backed up against a fence. She was an animal and the sad part was she liked it. She brought her knees to her chest in the fetal position and sat there until a cold hand grabbed her arm. Startled she looked up; it was Michael.

"Come on for someone sees us."

She wasn't sure if her legs would agree with the command, but luckily she made it _home_ without falling. Once inside her legs gave way and she collapsed on the couch. Michael sat on the sofa across from her and eyed her suspiciously.

"Don't you have any questions?"

"No," She raised an eyebrow.

"You don't wanna know why you're here, or what happened?"

Uncomfortable she turned over, "I already know." She could feel his eyes boring into her back.

"What do you mean you already know?"

"I. Already. Know."

"What are you?"

"A girl." She smirked getting up, "Ask the right question and you'll get the right answer." And with that she left; she needed to see her family.

Although it was only a one-bedroom apartment, it had held them three together for years. Cassie, her younger sister of 15, sleep soundly beside their little brother Adam, who had just recently turned 6. Kira quietly filed through the cupboards. They only had enough food to sustain them for a week and with her gone how would they fend?

Before she herself knew what had happened, Kira was asking the next customer, "Welcome to Chick-fil-a, how may I help you?"

She had been working fulltime for a week and she finally got her first check. That evening she cashed it, put it on a debit card, and found herself walking towards her old home. This would be her first time speaking to Cassie since **That Night **and Kira wasn't sure how she would take it.

She knocked on the door lightly. "Who is it?" A tired Cassie opened the door rubbing the sleep from her eyes, "Kira! My gosh Kira, Where have you been?"

Kira smiled and hugged her little sister, "I've been around."

"Well, I'm glad you're back. We've missed you and Adam's been waking up in the middle of the night screaming your name for days."

Kira walked to the kitchen table and sat Cassie down, "That's actually what I came about." She grabbed Cassie' hands, "I'm not coming back."

Cassie jerked away taken back by the statement, "What are you talking about, Kira? You can't just walk out on us. Just in case you forgot, you're all we have." Her eyes filled with hurt.

"I know and I'm sorry, but sometimes things happen in life and you just gotta deal with the hand you've been given." She pulled the card from her pocket and handed it to Cassie, "It has about two fifty on it. Every two weeks on Wednesday it should have about five hundred. The pin number is Adam's birthday, okay?"

Cassie took the card with heavy hands and hung her head with tears forming, "Yea."

"Hey, what have I told you about crying?" She grabbed Cassie in her arms and held her head up, "Punks cry, and I don't have any punks in my family." Kira held her for a moment until she caught the scent of a sweet smell. "Buy some pads while your out."

Cassie eyed her suspiciously, "What?"

"For you period, get some pads."

"I haven't started my period yet."

Kira laughed at the dramatic irony of the moment, "Well, I think you just did, but listen I have to go." She walked to the door.

"Will you come back? How will I contact you?"

She hugged her sister a last time and smiled, "Don't worry I'll be back more times than you'll know. And you know how to contact me."

"Yea, but you never answered while you were gone and what about Adam?"

Kira tensed, "Don't tell'em I came by. I'll answer if you need me." She disappeared before Cassie could ask further.

Kira rounded the corner and quickly changed her clothes before heading home. She opened the door quietly not wanting to draw attention to herself and saw Michael lying on the couch with a bottle half empty. She quietly grabbed the bottle wary not to wake the sleeping beauty and tossed it in the trash. The house was filthy. And hour of cleaning and a bowl of cereal later she took a blanket from Michael's room and gently placed in over his sleeping body.

Sitting beside him, Kira cautiously tucked the blanket around his frame. She could feel her faint heart flutter at the closeness of their bodies and she all the more hated him. She hated how even in his sleep he could make a pompous girl such as herself feel shy. He hadn't shown the slightest sign since her arrival that he wanted her there let alone wanted her, yet she couldn't help, but feel compassion towards him. He stirred and his hair made a blanket over his eyes. Before she could register her actions, her fingers were gracefully gliding across his forehead and she brushed his wild, brown hair out of his eyes.

Kira gasped and, now realizing how close she had been jumped away, as her eyes met his.

"Sorry." She quickly walked out of the room and found hers.

Michael sat up dumbfounded and walked to the kitchen for a glass of blood. _This house is filth—clean?_ He looked around in awe. _Kira._ He had to admit she was an interesting character. She was the first girl who didn't fall victim to his good looks and charming ways; she actually talked backed. He smirked at the thought, but stopped as he remembered she had been gone for the past few days. He noticed every morning she was up and out before he even considered getting up. Michael was suddenly shaken out of his thoughts as he smelled another presence, "Hey, Ben."

"Hey, I see you've been cleaning." Benjamin laughed shocked.

"Nah, you know I don't do cleaning. It was Kira."

"Ah," He raised both hands, "Kira, Kira, Kira." Benjamin looked at his friend thoughtfully, "Seeing as how you don't want her and all, I'll gladly take her off your hands."

Michael shook his head quickly, "No, she's fine."

"What made the change? You got some?" His friend smirked seductively.

"Nah, man we're not like that."

"So you wouldn't mind if I hit it? I just don't understand how you can live with hotty and not have had sex. She has the legs of a goddess, bra."

"No, Benjamin you can't _**hit**_ it." Michael responded through gritted teeth. He turned to face his friend with his temper was slowly boiling, "Is there a reason for your visit?"

"Well, I came to see Kira, but it's cool. I understand ya'll have ya'lls little thing going on."

"There's no _**thing**_ going on with me and Kira." He and his friend sat at his kitchen table.

"Oh. Well, whatever. I saw her working at the Chick-fil-a at the mall the other day. She's even hot in a uniform." Benjamin laughed to lighten the mood.

"Really? That's probably why she's been getting up so early." He looked at his friend in thought, "Why would she wanna work? I have plenty of money."

"My guess is as good as yours. Did you ever ask her how she knew about the vampire thing or why she didn't change?"

"Nah, she said she knew. She didn't ask not one question, even after her first kill."

"That's weird. I figured she'd be traumatized by the whole thing; crying and throwing a fit."

"Yea, but that's not Kira. She's too much of a badass." He smiled looking off at nothing specific.

"Just like you. You like her?" He friend asked barely audible.

"No! Never. She's a pompous, irritatin'," He trailed off thinking, "No." His eyes finally met his friend's.

"Oh." Was all Benjamin could say. He knew Kira was growing on Michael, but he didn't say it. Michael would have to discover that for himself. They continued talking for another hour until they bother grew tired.

For the next few weeks Michael followed Kira to and from work. The idea of her working had hit a nerve and he was hoping to find out why. By the fifth week he was ready to quit, acknowledging the fact that he could now be considered a stalker, until one Wednesday. Instead of heading home she took a back street that led to a rundown neighborhood.

She nervously stood at the door of an apartment until a girl opened it. She through her arms around Kira's neck and they walked inside.

"Hey, Cassie." Kira smiled a smile Michael had never seen. It wasn't a smirk or a half smile; it was smile and it was beautiful. Michael shook his head to erase the unwanted thought.

"Hey, Kira. How's it been going?"

"It's been going." She gave a thoughtful half smile.

"Kira! Kira! Kira!" A little boy came running and jumped into Kira's arms.

"Hey, baby." She smiles, but the smile never reaches her eyes.

"I've missed you, Kira. Why did you leave? I'm sorry I got in trouble that one day. I didn't mean to."

Kira smiles and rubs his cheek, "I didn't leave because you got in trouble, Adam. I would never leave you on purpose."

"I miss you."

"I miss you too." She turns to Cassie, "Is the money enough?" _So that's where it's been going; to her family._

"It's more than enough. I paid the rent, the lights, and the water bill. I bought tons of food and I paid off the furniture. I even had enough to get us some new clothes, Kira."

Kira looked away from Cassie. She looked hurt, "Well, I just came by just to check on things, if you need me you know how to reach me."

"It doesn't work anymore, Kira. I tried to call to you plenty of times, but you never get it."

Kira looked at her worried, "Try it now."

Cassie closed her eyes and waited. Minutes later she shook her head, "I got nothing."

Kira then closed her eyes, "I got you. I don't why-"

"I got you now. You gotta keep you mind open more, Kira." Michael stared through the window at family in confusion.

"Try this. Push all other minds away and focus on me. Now think of what you wanna tell me."

_Adam can do it too, Kira._

Kira looked at the other girl in shock, "How do you know?"

Michael tried with everything to read their thoughts, but he got nothing. It was as if they had put up a wall to block him out.

"He called me the other day when he fell in the room."

Kira caressed the young boys cheek and smiled, but it wasn't the smile from earlier. It was a smile filled with pain and hurt. She got up and began walking towards the door. "Well. I gotta go now, but I'll-"

"No, Kira you can't leave. You said you wouldn't leave me remember. Did you forget?" The child tugged at her arm.

"I know Adam. I can't stay, but I'll be back. I promise." Michael could see Kira was on the brink of tears as she opened the door.

"No, Kira!" The boy screamed and jumped on Kira's leg, "I'll clean the room, and I'll be nice to Cassie. I'll do whatever just don't leave me, Kira please!"

Kira looked away, "Cassie," She paused, "Please get Adam."

The girl nodded and pulled on the boy's arm. He screamed and squirmed. It took all the might of the young girl to keep the hysterical boy from getting loose.

"Leave me alone, Cassie! Kira, stop. Where are you going? You said you weren't leaving me. You keep forgetting." The boy screamed as snot ran down and mixed with his tears.

Kira stood at the door for a second with her head hung low, but never once looked at the screaming child, "I love you." And she left.

Cassie let the child down and he ran into the hallway of the apartment screaming Kira's name. He stood there crying and gasping for air for a while, then fell to his knees with a small thud. "I don't love you back."

Michael watched Kira as she slowly walked to a back alley. She forcefully kicked a trashcan and sent it flying into the nearest wall. She pressed her hands against her head and screamed. In all of her anger she picked up the dumpster and threw it at the wall. Michael stared in wonder. He knew she was no longer a vampire yet she was still able to pick and throw a half ton dumpster. He looked up from his thoughts realizing he no longer knew where Kira was and walked down the alley she had just destroyed. A trembling ball caught Michael off guard and he turned to find Kira curled on the ground crying.

Kira couldn't take seeing her little brother crying over her. Her breath was caught in her chest as she cried out her life. She cried for brother, she cried for her sister, she cried for her parents, she cried because she hadn't cried in years and every feeling she'd ever ignored was slowly creeping its way out of her heart and onto her face. She wished she would have died that night Michael bit her, but she hadn't and now she was alive and alone. She hated him, but above all she hated herself.


	2. Chapter 2

A cold tap touched her shoulder

A cold tap touched her shoulder.

"Leave me alone."

"Come on. Get up, Kira." He tugged at her arm, but she jerked it back protectively under her huddled body. Michael sighed and looked around. He wasn't sure how to react in a situation such as this.

"I don't have all day to sit and watch you cry."

She shook her head, "I didn't ask yo punk ass to sit and watch, shit. Get the fuck on." She looked up, "Bye. You know yo way back to your house."

He grabbed her arm and pulled her up. In one swift motion they were heading back to his house, but Kira again jerked her arm away.

"Wait, I don't have to go back with you. I'm fine now." She let out a small laugh at her sudden epiphany, "I'm human."

Michael again grabbed her arm and continued to drag her, "Wait, Stop! What are you doing?"

"You know where I live, who I am, what I am." It was now his turn to laugh, "Do you really think I'd let you run around the city with that kind of information?"

"I'm don't know who lied to you to make you feel oh so important, but you mean nothing to me and trust me you would not be the topic of choice. So if you could do us both a favor and get the fuck off me I would appreciate it." She jerked away yet again.

Michael turned in a fit of anger and thrust Kira against the nearest wall. Kira coughed in pain from the impact. She wrapped her hands around his arm, "This is really getting old, don't you think?" And sent her head hurtling into his. His hands rushed to his head and he dropped the out of breath Kira. Before he could recover Kira ran into the opposite direction. She suddenly heard a chuckle and looked up in her mad dash.

"I guess you forgot the part about super speed." Michael grabbed Kira's wrist, but as quickly as she pulled away did she here a crack. Kira looked down at her wrist and smiled to Michael. She then turned and began her long walk **home**.

Michael stared at the back of the girl dumbfounded as they walked in silence. He regretted breaking her hand, but at least now she wasn't objecting.

That night Benjamin came by. "Hey, Kira."

She turned over on the couch and smiled happy to be around someone other than Michael, "Hey, Ben." She sat up and quickly winced as she remembered her broken hand.

"Ouch, what happened?"

"Fell and broke it." She shrugged with a small laugh, "Only I could manage."

"Let me see it."

Kira held out her idle hand. She shook off the pain as Benjamin examined her, but with one false move she let out an exhausted breath. "Sorry, but you really need to put some support on it or it'll heal up wrong."

Kira slowly took her arm away and cautiously placed it on her lap, "Nah, it's fine. It'll heal up in a day or two."

Benjamin eyed her in confusion and shook his head, "No, Kira it won't. Your wrist is broken; it's gonna take weeks to heal up."

She smiled, but left it alone. For as long as she could remember she had always healed quickly and this time was no different. "Did you come to talk to Michael?"

He nodded, "Yea, but talking to you is cool too." He smirked and threw her a wink.

Kira was so tickled she couldn't help, but laugh, "Thanks."

"Can I ask you a question?" He looked at her on a serious note, "How did you learn to block out," He paused looking for the right word, "Other minds?"

Kira smiled, "I'm not sure. Sometimes it's like I can feel someone brush against an entrance and if I want, I just close the door."

"How is that possible? Your human."

She shrugged, "There was never anyone to ask, so I just took it for what it was." She looked away, "I thought it was normal until I realized I was the only one who could do it."

Benjamin nodded soaking in the information. He stared at the lonely girl and suddenly felt compelled to touch her. "Is that what you mean by your arm?"

She nodded, "I give it two days at the most, but I have to work so if it's not completely healed by then…" She shrugged it off.

"Your still working? Why?"

"Girls gotta make her money some how, right?"

"Michael has…"

She shook her head before he could finish, "Michael's money is his, I would never ask him for that."

"But it's not like he would mind."

"But I would. He got what he has on his own and the same with you. I'm not a charity case."

"Oh," He nodded, "What did you need money for?"

"What is this? 21 questions? Why does anyone want money? Just makes life easier." Kira wanted to keep her family on as low of a profile as possible. She couldn't imagine how she would react if they found out about them.

Seeing the tension build Benjamin decided to change the subject, "I didn't mean to seem nosey. I just wanted to get to know you a little better. I know your bored living with Michael. He's not exactly what I would call a people's kinda person."

"I noticed, you seem like two completely different people. How did you become friends?"

"He's my brother and although he may not seem like it, he's a good one. He's always been reserved, but as he got older it's just gotten worse. Don't hold it against him though, he really is a good person."

"I don't. We're all exposed to different elements that help shape us. His were just a little different from mine." She smiled, "That's what makes him him."

"Yea, well if his elements don't change soon he'll die."

"Why?" Kira was taken aback by the statement.

"The Council thinks he's loosing his humanity. A vampire who has lost his humanity becomes ruthless and they are afraid Michael is too powerful. No one would be able to touch him once he became inhumane, so either he'll have to change soon or they'll have to kill him."

"He can't just change who he is."

"I know. That's why they've decreed he must find a wife."

"What will that change?"

"They are hoping once he finds someone he loves, he'll become more compassionate, therefore saving his life."

Kira looked down at her hand as she thought, "Oh. That's not that bad. Why hasn't he found someone yet? It's not like he's unattractive."

"Michael's never had a girl for longer than a few days. He's never actually been in a relationship."

"So he just likes fuck buddies."

Benjamin laughed at the girl's comment, "Something like that."

Kira smiled in return, "So what is he gonna do?"

"Find a really hot 'fuck buddy' and convince her to marry him. He's already talked to a few girls, but I think ones caught his eye."

"Oh, well that's cool I guess."

"Yea, I think he said she was coming over tomorrow."

Kira smiled, "That's cute." Kira got up from the couch. She figured she'd clean up a little for the big day.

"Well, I guess I'll go talk to Michael." He rose and held out his hand, " It was nice talking to you."

Kira looked at his hand and through her good arm around his shoulder, "Anytime."

Benjamin reluctantly put his arms around her returning the hug and laughed. "You are defiantly your own person."

Kira walked to her room and took a shower. By the time she was out she knew Benjamin had left and it was not time to renovate. She started with the living room, made her way to the bathrooms. Although her wrist hurt, it hadn't given her any real trouble until she began two-handed jobs. Being the kind of person she was, Kira prevailed enjoying the challenge here and there. Once she had cleaned each of the guest rooms she knocked on Michael's door. After a minute of waiting she knocked again, but no one answered. She quietly opened his door. He was sleep. Kira continued her cleaning and grabbed two glasses to put in the kitchen sink. She made two more trips to his room for a few other glasses then began cleaning the kitchen.

Minutes later Kira sluggishly sat at the kitchen table happy that the job was done. As she was about to walk to her room, she noticed a cereal box left on the counter. She had meant to put it up earlier, but procrastinated and eventually forgot. As tired as she was she wouldn't feel right just leaving the box, so she made her way over to the counter and grabbed the box. The closer she came to the fridge the more Kira realized she wouldn't be able to reach the top of it, but she was too tired to grab a chair so she did the next best thing. She jumped. Unfortunately the box only reached the tip of the fridge and came tumbling back down. Again Kira jumped, but lost her balance and slipped.

Kira winced in pain and in seconds Michael was in the kitchen. "What happened?"

Kira only moaned in response. Michael kneeled down and lifted Kira up. "No, I'm fine." Kira slid out of his grasp and attempted to sit up on her own, but quickly regretted it realizing she needed two hands to rise up. She looked at him with pleading eyes and again he lifted her.

"Thanks."

He carefully walked her to the kitchen table and again asked, "What happened?"

"I was trying to put the cereal on top of the fridge, but I slipped."

"Thought about using a chair?"

"Yea, but I was too tired to get it."

"Well that's your fault, next time you'll know not to be so lazy."

Kira gave him a glare, but was too tired to argue so she changed the subject, "What time is she coming over?"

"I see you and Ben were talking."

Kira nodded waiting for an answer.

"Doesn't matter. You won't be here when she comes."

She eyed him suspiciously.

"Don't you have somewhere to go? You know how you always leave and don't tell anyone where you're going."

"Don't bullshit with me, Michael. You know where I be." Michael shook his head trying to play dumb. Kira laughed, "You followed me long enough." His expression changed. Kira had hit a nerve. "That's how you knew where I was today. If you would have asked I would have told you." Kira brought up her limp hand, "Looks like I'll be joining you two. Can't work with a broken hand."

For a moment Kira could have sworn she saw regret, but of course that left more than quickly. "Ben asked me about your hand. Why did you say you fell?"

Kira looked away, "Pride I guess." She shrugged her shoulders.

"What does that have to do with pride?"

"I have way too much pride to just say 'Oh, Michael and I were arguing and I let him snap my wrist'. No. And it's never smart to talk too much. So when is she coming?"

"Around noon."

"Oh, well it's not like I'll be in your face while she's here, but if you want, I'll leave and just come back when she's gone."

Michael was about to answer when something caught his eye. He noticed the house was again clean, "You were cleaning with a broken hand?"

Kira looked away and nodded, "Yea."

"Why? I know my house isn't the neatest, but…"

Kira laughed, "No, no, I just figured since you were having company coming over, I'd clean a little."

Again Kira saw regret etching his face, but this time it didn't leave, "So, you were cleaning the house with a broken wrist for me."

"No, for your company."

"Oh, sorry about your hand."

"Nah, don't apologize. You wouldn't have if I hadn't clean up, so don't now. It's fine."

"Whatever."

"Do you want me to leave?"

"No, just don't get in the way."

Kira nodded, "So, do you like her?"

"Who, Kathleen? I don't know. I haven't thought about it."

"Does she like you?"

He smirked, "Of course she does, I've never met a girl who doesn't."

"I don't." Kira eagerly assured him.

"I said a 'girl'."

Kira was so tickled all she could do was laugh. Although Michael didn't like her, the sound of her laugh was heart warming. He liked how she always surprised him. He rarely ever got the reaction he had intended with her.

When her laugh finally died down she asked, "Are you sure she likes you or it is just the looks?"

"Does it matter? It's all the same."

Kira opened her mouth to object, but quickly closed it again and shrugged. "Have you given her a reason to like you?"

Michael laughed, "Her having my attention should be enough?"

Kira rose up from the table in irritation, "Goodnight, Michael." But as she was leaving she turned again, "I'll change your sheets tomorrow morning. You should be more careful when you eat in bed. Blood is hard to get out." Kira smirked and left for bed.

Michael sat at the kitchen table for a few moments longer. He didn't want to admit it, but he was a little upset the conversation had ended so soon. Thinking back on the conversation, Michael smiled as he remember Kira's laugh. After moments in thought, he walked to his room disgusted with himself from his previous thoughts and climbed into his bed dreading the day to come.


End file.
